Dark River

Chapter 16

Hollypaw wriggled against Willowpaw, trying to get comfortable.

There was hardly enough moss in this nest for one cat, never mind two. And how could Willowpaw sleep so soundly with the water constantly washing against the rocks?

Rain sprayed the lake, dripping from the overhang, puddling on the floor. Through the entrance to the cave, Hollypaw could see the rocky causeway, slick in the darkness.

She strained to see the ThunderClan shore far beyond it, but the air was murky and she could only just make out the shape of the distant forest against the cloudy predawn sky.

She had been in the RiverClan camp for two days. Leopardstar still insisted it was not safe for her to travel home, but every cat—Hollypaw included—knew she was being kept on the island to stop her from reporting RiverClan’s weakness to her Clanmates. She rolled over, her belly growling with hunger.

“Can’t you keep still?” Willowpaw sighed sleepily.

“Sorry.” Hollypaw’s heart ached. She was so far from home.

Willowpaw must have heard the sadness in her friend’s mew. She sat up and stretched, her eyes glowing sympathetically in the half-light. “You’ll be able to go back soon,” she promised.

“How soon?”

“The dams should be finished in a quarter moon,” Willowpaw mewed. “And we’ll be able to move back to our old camp. I’m sure Leopardstar will organize an escort for you then.”

A quarter moon! She couldn’t stay here that long! “But what about my Clan?”

“I know they’ll be worried,” Willowpaw commiserated.

“But think how pleased they’ll be when you get back.”

And angry. Hollypaw’s heart sank as she imagined Brambleclaw’s pelt pricking with annoyance; Squirrelflight’s gaze, sharp with disapproval.

“You won’t say anything, will you?” Willowpaw’s eyes grew round. “You won’t tell them about the island and the Twolegs?”

“No, not if you don’t want me to.” Hollypaw could guess why Willowpaw was so frightened about the other Clans knowing how much RiverClan had suffered. It would take at least a moon for them to recover even if they did manage to rescue their old camp.

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

“Everything will be back to normal soon,” Willowpaw sighed.

“Yes.” Hollypaw felt the word catch in her throat.

Everything will be back to normal. She was no longer so sure that an end to RiverClan’s trouble would stop the hostility that had flared between the Clans. It was almost as if the long peace between the Clans had left the younger cats itching for battle and set the older warriors dreaming of past glories. She thought of the WindClan patrol she had faced with the RiverClan cats. They had bristled with so much aggression.

They hadn’t wanted to hear RiverClan’s explanation. Could this hunger for battle simply vanish like mist in the sunshine?

The sky was lightening behind the clouds. Across the causeway, the cats were stirring on the island. Hollypaw could see pelts moving among the trees, pelts already as familiar as those of her own Clan. Graymist was leading Sneezekit and Mallowkit down to the shore to drink. Mosspelt was heading over the tree-bridge with Beechfur and Pebblepaw. Such a small dawn patrol! Hollypaw knew that most of the warriors’ effort was being channeled into recovering the old island camp.

Mistyfoot padded from the trees and crossed the causeway, a slender fish drooping in her jaws. She dropped it in the puddle at the front of the overhang.

Mothwing lifted her head at the splash and stretched in her nest. “Thanks, Mistyfoot,” she yawned.

Hollypaw knew it was unusual for the Clan deputy to deliver food to the medicine den. She was painfully aware that Mistyfoot had come to check whether Hollypaw had escaped in the night. But she was grateful that Mistyfoot had chosen such a tactful way to do it.

“It’s not much,” Mistyfoot meowed. “But it should see you through the day.”

Hollypaw’s belly growled. The whole day! Food was so scarce here that some of the warriors went to bed hungry; she was lucky to be fed at all. But thankful as she was that RiverClan were prepared to feed their unwelcome guest, she couldn’t get used to the strange tang of fish and she longed for the musky flavor of forest prey.

“Intruder!” Mosspelt yowled from the tree-bridge.

Graymist instantly began herding her kits back to the island clearing. Hollypaw stiffened, scenting the air.

ThunderClan!

Hope fluttered like a bird in her chest. She strained to see through the drizzle. The dawn patrol were circling a cat on the far shore. Squirrelflight! She recognized her mother’s pelt and felt the same surge of excitement she used to feel when, as a kit, Squirrelflight returned to the nursery after a spell in the warriors’ den.

“You’d better come with me,” Mistyfoot growled. She turned and padded back along the causeway. Hollypaw leaped after her, forcing herself not to race past the RiverClan deputy. Her paws fizzing, she trotted onto the island and followed Mistyfoot to the clearing.

Pebblepaw bounded from the undergrowth. “She’s come to get Hollypaw!”

Behind him, the ferns rustled and Squirrelflight padded calmly into the clearing, flanked by Mosspelt and Beechfur.

Hollypaw tensed. Squirrelflight was alone. Would Leopardstar let them leave together? She glanced nervously toward the Great Oak and saw Leopardstar squeeze out from her makeshift den among the roots. The RiverClan leader was staring at Squirrelflight; Hollypaw could see uncertainty in her eyes and her golden pelt pricked along her spine.

“Leopardstar.” Squirrelflight halted in front of the RiverClan leader and dipped her head. “I have come to fetch one of our apprentices.”

Hollypaw wanted to race forward and brush muzzles with her mother, but Squirrelflight hadn’t even looked at her yet.

She was staring steadily at Leopardstar. “I believe she strayed into your territory.”

“Strayed!” Leopardstar widened her eyes in disbelief. “She came to spy!”

Hollypaw’s ears burned. “I only wanted to help!” The words burst out before she could stop them.

Squirrelflight swung her head around and glared at her.

Hollypaw shrank back.

Around the clearing, the RiverClan cats were watching, muscles tense, tails twitching.

“She is only an apprentice, Leopardstar,” Squirrelflight meowed. “She lacks the good judgment that I hope will come with experience. I promise she’ll be punished for breaking the warrior code, but ThunderClan can’t allow her to remain here.” Her mew was firm, the politeness only thinly masking an unspoken threat. Would ThunderClan really fight to bring her home? Hollypaw flexed her claws nervously. She couldn’t believe she might end up causing a battle after all this.

Leopardstar’s shoulders stiffened as she met Squirrelflight’s gaze.

Will she let me go? Hollypaw’s heart was racing.

Leopardstar turned to look at her. “Can I trust you to show better judgment in future?”

She’s asking me to keep my mouth shut. “Yes!” Hollypaw nodded.

“I made a mistake coming here, but I won’t let any cat suffer because of it.”

Leopardstar blinked slowly. “Then you may go home.”

“Thank you.” Hollypaw breathed a sigh of relief.

Around the clearing, uneasy mews rippled among the RiverClan cats.

“Thank you, Leopardstar,” Squirrelflight meowed. “I apologize on behalf of ThunderClan.” Hollypaw winced with shame. The tip of her mother’s tail was twitching. Squirrelflight was furious. Hollypaw padded to her mother’s side, staring at her paws. How embarrassing to be fetched home like a naughty kit.

Squirrelflight dipped her head and turned toward the ferns.

“Wait!” Leopardstar flicked her tail. “Mosspelt and Beechfur will accompany you to the border.”

Squirrelflight glanced back, eyes narrowed, and nodded curtly.

Paws suddenly pattered over the clearing. Willowpaw was hurrying toward them. “Good-bye.” She brushed Hollypaw’s cheek with her muzzle. “Promise not to say anything,” she whispered.

“I promise,” Hollypaw breathed.

Willowpaw stepped back, glancing awkwardly at her Clanmates, who were staring at her. Graymist was curling her lip, and Heavystep, a stocky tabby elder, flattened his ears in disapproval. Mosspelt led the way into the undergrowth.

Squirrelflight shooed Hollypaw ahead as Beechfur fell in behind them. They padded to the edge of the island and crossed the tree-bridge.

Hollypaw wanted to tell her mother how happy she was to see her, but it didn’t feel right to say that in front of their RiverClan escorts. She held her tongue until they reached the WindClan border. Squirrelflight hardly looked at her, checking only that she made it down from the tree-bridge without tripping and steering her away from the waves that gently lapped the shore.

“I’m really sorry!” The words exploded from Hollypaw as soon as the RiverClan cats had turned back.

Squirrelflight’s eyes clouded. “Don’t ever do that again!” she hissed.

“I won’t,” Hollypaw promised meekly.

Squirrelflight led the way along the shore, keeping within two tail-lengths of the water. “I do understand,” she meowed.

Hollypaw pricked her ears.

“I know what it’s like to have friends in other Clans.”

Squirrelflight kept her gaze fixed firmly ahead. “To feel that there’s something stronger than your Clan calling you away from home.”

She must be talking about the Great Journey.

“But”—Squirrelflight glanced at her—“trying to help RiverClan was a foolish idea. Thinking you could sort out the Clans’ problems on your own was very arrogant.”

Arrogant! Hollypaw felt stung. She hadn’t meant to be like that.

“Firestar told you ThunderClan wasn’t going to interfere.

He’s older and wiser than you are. You should have obeyed him. You broke the warrior code in disobeying him. You put your Clan at risk.”

Hollypaw searched for words to defend herself, but suddenly she couldn’t. There was no way she could make her Clanmates understand that she’d only wanted to stop a battle.

“We had to drive a WindClan patrol off our territory while you were gone,” Squirrelflight added.

Hollypaw blinked. “Did they try and invade?”

“Not yet.” Squirrelflight glanced up at the moor. “But they chased a squirrel onto our land and claimed it as their prey.”

“On our side of the border?” Hollypaw could hardly believe her ears.

“Your brother helped fight them off.”

Hollypaw’s pelt bristled with alarm. “Is he okay?”

“Just a scratch on his ear.” Squirrelflight’s whiskers twitched. “I think he’s proud of it.”

“I wish I’d been there.”

“You should have been there,” Squirrelflight meowed. “Your Clan needs you more than ever.”

Hollypaw remembered how close she’d come to fighting WindClan with the RiverClan patrol. Guilt gnawed at her belly. She should have been facing them with her own Clanmates.

“There’s the smell of battle in the air,” Squirrelflight went on.

“But RiverClan isn’t planning to invade WindClan territory!” She couldn’t explain about the trouble in their camp because she had promised Willowpaw and Leopardstar, but she had to try to keep the Clans from fighting.

“What RiverClan decide to do or not to do is none of our business,” Squirrelflight meowed. “Our concern is defending our own borders.”

How can you be so nearsighted? Hollypaw bit back the words.

Squirrelflight paused and gazed at her. “I know you think you were doing the right thing, but you are only an apprentice. How can you possibly understand? Your duty is to listen and learn and leave the decision-making to the warriors.”

Hollypaw’s paws itched with resentment. Why did being an apprentice mean that her opinion didn’t count? She lowered her eyes to hide her anger.

Squirrelflight clearly took this as a sign of obedience.

“Good.” She began to hurry along the shore. The border was in sight and Hollypaw felt relieved to see it.

A thought suddenly flashed in her mind. She was surprised she hadn’t thought of it before. “How did you know I was with RiverClan?”

“Jaypaw had a dream,” Squirrelflight replied flatly. She didn’t seem surprised by her son’s uncanny abilities; Jaypaw was a medicine cat apprentice, after all. Hollypaw felt proud of her brother, but unease still pricked her paws. What must it feel like to have that sort of power? If he knew where she had been, did that mean he knew about the RiverClan camp?

She wouldn’t breathe a word about it to Firestar, but would Jaypaw do the same?

The camp fell silent as Hollypaw followed Squirrelflight into the clearing.

Hollypaw heard Brightheart whispering to Sorreltail.

“She’s back!”

Brook stopped washing and looked up. “Glad to see you’re safe.”

Stormfur nodded at her but said nothing. Dustpelt and Thornclaw only glanced at her before returning to their hushed conversation. Hollypaw knew she was in big trouble.

“Hollypaw!” Lionpaw raced from the apprentice den. He looked bright-eyed, as though he’d been asleep for ages. He weaved around her, purring. “You smell like fish!”

Jaypaw padded out of the medicine den and blinked, his blue eyes staring directly at her. Yet again Hollypaw had the unnerving sense that he could see her, even though she knew he couldn’t.

“You need to see Firestar,” Squirrelflight informed her.

Hollypaw’s fur tingled as her mother watched her climb the tumble of rocks to Highledge. Heart pounding, she stepped into Firestar’s cave. Brackenfur was waiting beside the ThunderClan leader. “Welcome back.” His mew was grim.

Firestar narrowed his eyes. “You’ve caused a lot of worry and effort at a time when the Clan can least afford it,” he meowed.

“I was only trying to—”

Firestar cut her off. “We don’t want to hear excuses. You broke the warrior code. I told you plainly that we were not going to interfere with RiverClan but you went there anyway.

You abandoned your Clan when it needs its warriors and apprentices more than ever.”

“But I’ve found something out. You mustn’t fight WindClan!”

“Why not?”

Hollypaw scraped her claws over the rocky floor. “I can’t tell you.”

“Can’t?”

“I’ve made a promise.” Hollypaw’s tail twitched unhappily.

“You have to trust me. There’s no need to fight.”

Firestar whisked his tail over the ground. “Do you really expect me to make decisions for the Clan based on that?”

Hollypaw opened her mouth, but what could she say?

“You will be confined to camp for a day,” Firestar went on.

“It should be longer, but we can’t spare you right now. Patrols have been stepped up since the incident with WindClan, and you are expected to play your part in them. But you will be responsible for looking after the elders for the next moon.

It’ll be up to you to make sure they are fed and their bedding is kept clean, and don’t think about asking your denmates for help. This will be your responsibility alone.”

Hollypaw dipped her head. The promise she’d made to Leopardstar stuck in her throat, but she was determined to honor it. She wasn’t going to have every cat who knew her accuse her of being disloyal. At least RiverClan didn’t treat her like a stupid kit—they even thought she might have been a spy. “Is that it?” she muttered.

Firestar flicked his tail. “You may as well start now.

Mousefur and Longtail will be grateful for fresh bedding.”

“Okay.” Hollypaw turned and padded out of the den. Why couldn’t Firestar have more faith in her? Had he been to RiverClan? The Clan leaders only looked as far as the end of their whiskers. Well, let them! She’d just get on with her duties and keep her mouth shut. Angrily, she skidded down the rocky slope and stomped to Leafpool’s den.

She poked her head through the brambles. “Can I have some fresh bedding for the elders’ den?”

Leafpool was unwrapping the cobwebs from Cinderpaw’s leg.

“Hollypaw!” Cinderpaw mewed. “Jaypaw’s dream was right!”

“Of course it was right!” Jaypaw was sorting herbs at the back of the den. He turned to face Hollypaw. “I suppose Firestar’s put you on nettles and water for a moon?”

“Not quite.” Hollypaw’s whiskers twitched. It was good to hear Jaypaw’s grouchy mew again. “Thanks for sending Squirrelflight to find me.”

“No problem.” Jaypaw shrugged and then went back to his sorting.

Leafpool was staring at her with troubled eyes. “I’m glad you’re safe,” she meowed.

“I’m sorry I worried everyone,” Hollypaw replied.

“Don’t do it again.” Leafpool’s mew was suddenly fierce.

Hollypaw bristled. You sound like my mother! She’d had enough of being told off. “Moss?” she asked again.

Leafpool flicked her tail to the pile at the side of the cave.

“Help yourself.”

Hollypaw took the biggest clump she could carry and padded to the elders’ den. There were worse punishments, she supposed.

“Is it true?” Mousefur shifted out of the way as Hollypaw began sifting through the old bedding. “Were you with RiverClan?”

“Yes.”

“Did they treat you well?” Longtail leaned forward, nose twitching. “It smells like they fed you.”

“Yes.”

Mousefur wrinkled her muzzle. “I’ve never liked the taste of fish. Too watery.”

Hollypaw plucked a wad of dried moss and flung it toward the entrance.

Mousefur narrowed her eyes. “You’re very quiet for an apprentice who’s just had a big adventure.”

“What’s the point in talking?” Hollypaw flung another clump of moss. “No one wants to listen to an apprentice.”

“Was Firestar tough on you?” Longtail mewed sympathetically.

“No.”

Mousefur flicked her tail. “It’s no use sulking,” she snapped. “You broke the warrior code. Did you think everyone would welcome you back like a hero?”

“No!” Hollypaw glared at her. “But at least I was trying to help. Everyone else just wants to fight!”

“We must defend our borders,” Longtail pointed out.

“We wouldn’t have to defend our borders if we talked to one another!”

“Talk?” Longtail’s eyes widened with surprise. “We’re warriors! We fight with tooth and claw, not words!”

“Wait a moment.” Mousefur leaned toward Hollypaw.

“Why do you think talking will help? WindClan has made it clear that they want to steal our prey. They crossed our border once. They’re trying to steal our territory.”

“Why do you think they want to steal our territory?”

Hollypaw challenged.

“Because RiverClan is planning to steal theirs!” Longtail meowed.

Hollypaw swished her tail. “Are you sure?”

“Of course! They’ve lost their land!” Longtail argued.

“They have to go somewhere.”

They haven’t lost their land! Hollypaw wished she hadn’t promised RiverClan she’d keep quiet. “Everyone is jumping to conclusions!” she snapped. “We don’t know anything for sure.

WindClan doesn’t know anything for sure. We’re all just guessing! We might end up fighting over nothing!”

Mousefur frowned. “And you think talking might stop the battle?” Her mew was thoughtful.

Hollypaw felt hope flicker beneath her pelt. Was someone listening to her at last? She gazed expectantly at Mousefur.

“Can you get Firestar to think about it again?”

Mousefur didn’t reply directly. “You’d better fetch some more moss.” She began to spread out the pile Hollypaw had brought. “We’re going to need more than this.”

Hollypaw closed her eyes as the sweet flavor of mouse spread over her tongue. She crunched through a bone.

Something worth chewing, at last. She lay beside the halfrock with Poppypaw and Honeypaw, newleaf sunshine warming her pelt. For the first time in days, she pushed away her worries about the coming battle and enjoyed the familiar scents of home.

“So what are they like?” Poppypaw lay beside her, idly hooking a freshly killed sparrow from one paw to another.

“RiverClan, I mean?”

“The elders are grumpy, the warriors are bossy, and the kits are a nuisance,” Hollypaw replied with her mouth full.

“Pretty much the same as us.”

Poppypaw purred. “Don’t let Brackenfur hear you saying that,” she warned. “You’re in enough trouble as it is.”

“Look!” Honeypaw sat up and stared at the medicine den.

Leafpool was leading Cinderpaw slowly out into the clearing.

Cinderpaw was limping, hardly touching the ground with her injured leg, but the rushes and cobwebs were gone. Her leg looked thin, the fur pressed flat against the skin from being bound up so long, but her eyes were bright with excitement.

“Hollypaw!” Leafpool called across the clearing.

Hollypaw leaped to her paws, gulping down a last mouthful of mouse, and hurried to greet Cinderpaw. She flicked her tail over her friend’s ears. “You’re better!”

“Not completely,” Leafpool warned. The medicine cat’s eyes glittered with worry. “But she’s fidgeting around in the den so much, I thought she’d better get some fresh air.”

“Can we go out into the forest?” Cinderpaw mewed.

“No!” Leafpool bristled. She stared at Hollypaw. “I thought you could help Cinderpaw get some gentle exercise.”

She emphasized gentle as though she were teaching Hollypaw a new word.

“Of course!” Hollypaw kneaded the ground.

“Stay in the clearing,” Leafpool ordered. She glanced at Cinderpaw. “And be careful!”

“She’s acting like a badger with sore stripes!” Hollypaw whispered as Leafpool padded back to the medicine den.

“I know,” Cinderpaw purred. “She worries too much. She thinks if I breathe too hard I’m going to be crippled for life.”

Hollypaw sniffed Cinderpaw’s leg. It smelled strongly of comfrey. “How does it feel?”

“Stiff and sort of delicate,” Cinderpaw mewed. “But it doesn’t hurt anymore. I just have to be careful.”

“Can you put weight on it?”

Cinderpaw slowly pressed her pad down onto the ground.

She winced and then her face relaxed. “Not bad.” Gingerly she padded forward, then walked more easily to the middle of the clearing. Stretching out her forelegs she pressed her chest toward the ground. “It’s great to be outside again.”

Hollypaw hurried to the honeysuckle bush where she had left a pile of moss after cleaning out the elders’ den. She tore a small clump away with her teeth and rolled it into a ball.

“Can you still catch?” She tossed the ball across the clearing. Her heart lurched. What if Cinderpaw stretched up to catch it? Could her hind leg take the strain?

Cinderpaw let the ball land in front of her and hooked it up with a claw. “Not if you throw as badly as that,” she retorted. She tossed the moss ball back to Hollypaw.

Hollypaw leaped and batted it back. This time Cinderpaw lifted a forepaw and stretched up on three legs to catch the ball between her teeth.

“Nice one!” Hollypaw raced back to her friend.

“I’ve been practicing in the den with Jaypaw,” Cinderpaw mewed, dropping the ball at her paws.

“He’s been playing with you?” Hollypaw was surprised.

Jaypaw always seemed so serious when he was in the medicine den.

“Sometimes,” Cinderpaw told her. “But only to keep me quiet.” She looked at the ground. “Actually, I don’t think he likes having me around.”

“Nonsense!” Hollypaw mewed. “How can a medicine cat resent his patients?” She butted Cinderpaw on the shoulder.

But she could guess just how grouchy Jaypaw had been with Cinderpaw. If only he could hurry up and learn a bit of kindness from Leafpool!

“Can we play?” Foxkit and Icekit came hurtling from the nursery.

Foxkit swiped the moss ball away from Cinderpaw. His fluffy pelt glowed like autumn leaves in the afternoon sunshine.

“Hey!” Icekit skidded past him, knocking the moss ball away.

Foxkit lunged after her. “I got it first!” He tumbled her to the ground.

Hollypaw darted behind the squirming bundle of orange-and-white fluff and picked up the moss ball. “Now neither of you has it.” She flung it over the two kits, and Cinderpaw reached up with a forepaw and snagged it with a claw.

“That’s the trouble with being no bigger than a hedgehog,” Cinderpaw teased. “You can only catch worms!” She flicked the ball back over the kits’ heads for Hollypaw to catch.

Icekit and Foxkit leaped into the air, reaching for the ball as it flew over their heads.

“You’ll have to jump higher than that!” Hollypaw called.

“Not if you can’t throw it!” Foxkit dashed at Hollypaw and leaped onto her back. He scrabbled at her fur, making her stagger sideways.

Icekit grabbed the moss ball from her paws. “Trying to steal our prey!” she hissed.

Foxkit dug his claws into Hollypaw’s pelt. “Thief!”

“She must be a WindClan warrior!” Icekit cried, dropping the moss ball and throwing herself at Hollypaw. “Attack!”

“Help!” Hollypaw pretended to yelp in terror as she tussled with the two kits but, though she was playing, an icy chill shivered deep in her belly. Even the kits were ready to fight WindClan. The coming battle was waiting like a fox in the shadows.